Medical Cannabis 1
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Number 5/June 2014 Medical cannabis 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 2 2. Cannabis and the law in NSW ................................................................................ 3 Cannabis and the criminal law ................................................................................ 3 Cannabis cautioning scheme .................................................................................. 4 Cannabis and medical/scientific research ............................................................... 4 NSW Working Party and later developments .......................................................... 4 2013 Legislative Council committee report ............................................................. 5 3. The relevance of Commonwealth laws ................................................................... 7 International obligations .......................................................................................... 7 Commonwealth legislation ...................................................................................... 8 Supply options for the NSW Government in light of existing Commonwealth law 12 4. Australian parliamentary and government sources on medical cannabis .......... 13 Commonwealth ..................................................................................................... 13 Australian Capital Territory ................................................................................... 14 South Australia ..................................................................................................... 14 Western Australia ................................................................................................. 14 5. Sources on medical cannabis in selected overseas jurisdictions ....................... 14 USA ...................................................................................................................... 14 Canada ................................................................................................................. 19 Israel ..................................................................................................................... 21 New Zealand......................................................................................................... 22 United Kingdom .................................................................................................... 23 Czech Republic and other EUropean countries .................................................... 24 6. Selected peer-reviewed scientific research: 2008 to 2014 ................................. 24 7. Selected peer-reviewed legal, sociological and political research: 2008 to 2014 ........................................................................................................................... 27 8. Glossary ............................................................................................................... 30 Page 1 of 31 Issues Backgrounder 1. INTRODUCTION On 28 May 2014, The Australian reported that the NSW Greens MLC, John Kaye, would soon introduce a bill: … that would allow people with a terminal illness to apply for a card that would prevent them from being prosecuted for possessing a small quantity of cannabis. The card would be issued by the Department of Health based on advice from the patient’s treating doctor and would be “tightly monitored”, Dr Kaye said. He said the measures would mean thousands of people in NSW would no longer have to make the “terrible choice” between breaking the law and suffering. “It is time for science and compassion to win out against prejudice and hysteria,” he said.1 On 29 May 2014, the NSW Nationals MP Kevin Anderson announced his intention to introduce a Private Members Bill to approve the use of cannabis by terminally ill patients. Mr Anderson said: … “the Premier was sympathetic and listened intently while I explained the issue to him and the circumstances surrounding my decision to try and change the laws. “I told him about the Haslam family from Tamworth and the heartbreaking circumstances facing 24 year old Dan Haslam who has terminal cancer and his use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. “However the Premier joined with me in expressing grave concerns about the supply and the prescription of cannabis and the challenge in addressing those issues. It would need to be through a tightly controlled and regulated process. “While the NSW Parliamentary Upper House Inquiry supported the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, it did not address the supply. “The work now begins on doing the research to solve those issues. It will be critical to get this bill right, and I will be working closely with the Chair of the NSW Upper House inquiry the Hon Sarah Mitchell and the Hon Trevor Khan to find those solutions. “I strongly oppose the use of recreational drugs at every level and will continue to do so but through the Haslam family and my own research, I have a greater understanding of how cannabis can be used to alleviate the severe and distressing symptoms suffered by those who are dying and the need to provide comfort and relief when they need it most. “I thank the Haslam family and the community for raising this issue with me and their determined push to help 24 year old son Daniel,” Mr Anderson concluded.2 As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on 30 May 2014: Mr Baird said the government ''will give careful consideration to Mr Anderson's bill, and I have nothing but sympathy for the Haslam family as they struggle with their son's illness''. 1 The Australian, Bill would allow dying to smoke cannabis, 28 May 2014 2 Kevin Anderson, Anderson proposes historic Private Members Bill, Media Release, 29 May 2014 Page 2 of 31 Medical cannabis A spokesman for Mr Baird said the matter would not be the subject of a conscience vote for Liberal MPs, as is often the case for social issues. This means the bill would require the support of the government to pass the lower house.3 In response to this development, John Kaye stated that he was willing to delay his own proposed bill to give Mr Anderson time to develop his legislation.4 The first half of this Issues Backgrounder considers the key legal issues that arise in relation to medical cannabis, in particular the relationship between Commonwealth and State laws. The second half sets out some of the key background parliamentary, scientific and legal sources. The Parliamentary Research Service has previously published two papers on the subject of medical cannabis - R Johns, Medical cannabis programs: a review of selected jurisdictions, Briefing Paper No 10/2004 and G Griffith and M Swain, The Medical Use of Cannabis: recent developments, Briefing Paper No 11/1999. Also relevant is Briefing Paper No 3/1999, The Drug Summit: Issues and Outcomes by M Swain. It should be noted at the outset that the issue of using cannabis solely for medical purposes is legally distinct from the decriminalisation or non-medical use of the plant.5 2. CANNABIS AND THE LAW IN NSW CANNABIS AND THE CRIMINAL LAW At present, cannabis is a prohibited plant in all Australian jurisdictions, and its possession, cultivation and trafficking is a criminal offence in all jurisdictions. In NSW, under Schedule 1 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985, the list of prohibited plants or drugs includes: Large Prohibited Traffickable Small Indictable Commercial commercial plant or drug quantity quantity quantity quantity quantity Cannabis leaf 300.0g 30.0g 1 000.0 g 25.0 kg 100.0 kg Cannabis oil 5.0 g 2.0 g 10.0 g 500.0 g 2.0 kg Cannabis plant cultivated by - 5 g 50 g 50 g 200 g enhanced indoor means Cannabis plant - 5 g 50 g 250 g 1 kg –other Cannabis resin 30.0g 5.0 g 90.0 g 2.5 kg 10.0 kg 3 Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Premier Mike Baird open to supporting bill to decriminalise medical marijuana, 30 May 2014 4 Ibid. 5 Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Report of the Working Party on the use of cannabis for medical purposes, Volume 1, Executive Summary, p. 17. Page 3 of 31 Issues Backgrounder CANNABIS CAUTIONING SCHEME Not all possession of cannabis results in criminal proceedings. The cannabis cautioning scheme was an initiative that resulted from the Drug Summit in May 19996 and introduced across New South Wales on 3 April 2000. It gave police the right to issue a caution to adults7 for minor cannabis offences involving personal use. The cannabis offences that are eligible for a caution are the possession or use of up to 15 grams of dried cannabis leaf, stalks, seeds, or heads, or possession of equipment such as bongs for the administering of cannabis. 15 grams is half the amount of a ‘small quantity’ (30 grams) of cannabis leaf under Schedule 1 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985. There is a limit of receiving cautions on two occasions. CANNABIS AND MEDICAL/SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Although cannabis is a prohibited plant in all Australian jurisdictions, and cannabis and cannabinoid products are not listed as therapeutic goods under the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, the customs regime and the therapeutic goods regimes make provisions for limited exceptions in relation to accessing cannabis for medical, clinical or scientific research purposes. This is discussed below in a later section. NSW WORKING PARTY AND LATER DEVELOPMENTS In October 1999, Premier Bob Carr announced that the Government would investigate the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.8 The Premier explained